


The Hateno Marketplace

by unreadmessages



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Blind!Link, Cultural Differences, Fluff, Humor, M/M, NOT THAT THATS BAD but this is for that uwu feeling, Romance, Verbal Link, aka revalink fics are a lil stressful, alternate universe - there is no ganon but otherwise the worldbuilding and setting is the same, and merchant!revali, or at least my attempt in humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2019-10-07 16:59:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17369867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unreadmessages/pseuds/unreadmessages
Summary: Revali's been entrusted with setting up a new location for his family's store in Hateno Village, the place that is both a town and a village. It is the place where the mayor hosts a local marketplace of traveling merchants in an effort to bring exotic wares from all over Hyrule to those who covet travel but are unable to.It is also the place of residence of a certain blond Hylian eager to see the world through his fingertips.





	1. Switchgrass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!! I love the dynamic of this pair and i am very sad there is not a lot of stuff for them, so i have made myself create more content because i want it. if you also want more revalink i highly recommend aperplexingpuzzle's fic ["Pinesong"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16572746/chapters/38833742) it is very good and extremely well-written!! also does anyone else think about revali's cooing a lot? i think it would sound like the rumbly part of a mourning doves coo. this part doesnt involve any cooing but later on it will, i just enjoy thinking about the legend of zelda universe.

“It is time for you to, as they say, leave the nest.”

That was what Revali’s mother had said as she concluded her long speech about responsibility and helping the family and whatnot but really, Revali had half a mind to tell her that practicing his archery everyday and doing absolutely nothing else was a _perfectly_ responsible thing to do. Until he heard she was sending him to Hateno, which was directly on the other side of Hyrule and therefore directly on the other side of his suffocatingly nosy family. ( _T_ _he truth is spread quickly when you have seven siblings and live in a very small village,_ Revali was told during a lecture about honesty as a fledgling.)

In a few short months, arrangements were made and in a few short weeks, bags were packed, and in a few short days, Revali had set up shop in Hateno to sell items that his brothers and sisters would deliver directly from Rito Village. Soon enough, he was placing all his produce on a table and was looking out at the crowd of Hylians, each one with curious eyes gazing to things they had never seen before, fruits they wanted to try, and clothing they had only seen experienced travelers wear.

Among everyone in the crowd was a short Hylian, no older than nineteen. _Well… Probably_. Revali was never very good at estimating the ages of the other races, mostly because he never bothered to be so attentive to their attributes in the first place. The Hylian blond stumbled his way to the Rito’s table with a string of murmured “Sorry! My bad- excuse me,” and other apologies.

As Revali cleaned up his area here and there, he looked up to see the clumsy Hylian touching every bit of his produce with his  _probably dirty_ Hylian hands and running his fingers through some of his tools laid down on the table and _oh goddesses why are you about to smell that durian-_

“ _Excuse_ me! Why in Hyrule are you contaminating all of my produce? Can’t you see I’m trying to keep this place in top-condition? Who do you think you are…that-that you can just...” Revali’s words and anger trailed off, thoroughly distracted and confused by the Hylian menace in front of him and how he had his eyes closed, his brown eyelashes dusting the tops of his cheeks.

“I can’t see,” the Hylian simply explained.

Revali’s sudden confusion almost made him forget his frustrations with the blond.

Almost.

“Then just open them!” Revali exclaimed to the strange young man, garnering glares from the other merchants and glances by curious onlookers.

“Sure thing,” the blond replied in compliance.

His eyes fluttered open, revealing the dusty blue shade of his iris as his pupils adjusted to the sudden brightness of the daylight sun. The color reminded the Rito of the wildflowers that grew on the path to the Hateno Beach, with the blinking causing the heavy brown eyelashes to mimic the sway of the switchgrass as the ocean’s tides created a soft breeze. Revali was quick to retort his embarrassingly poetic description with remembering why he told him to open his eyes in the first place, yet for a brief moment he felt himself holding a breath he hadn’t realized he took in.

Just as suddenly as the Hylian’s eyes had opened, they had shut again, with rather impeccably clean hands quickly going to rub at them.

“Still can’t see...” the Hylian said, knocking Revali back into reality. “... But I can still tell your tomatoes aren’t washed very well since they have a thin layer of dust. Or dirt, maybe.”

Revali let out a huff.

“Well, I do apologize for my rather… ahem, inconsiderate response. But my attitude was highly called for and you have no reason to further berate me!”

He heard the Hylian let out a soft giggle. Revali had acknowledged his mistake, allowed the Hylian to remain in front of him despite possibly infecting his entire stock of produce, and he still had the nerve to laugh at him!

“I appreciate your bluntness. Everyone always tries to convince me that they’ve not said anything wrong when I point out their behaviors. I’m surprised you haven’t asked the questions I usually get about now.”

Revali cleared his throat. This conversation was not going where he had expected to. He was expecting to get the questions he usually gets by now, which are _who raised you_ and _what is your problem_ and _do you really wanna know how hard I can throw a punch?_ (The answer is always  _I am above answering that._ )

“That is because I currently have more important tasks to attend to,” Revali responded, having completely forgotten that he was running a business until a few people had started crowding around them. “If you really are quite done causing a scene and don’t plan on buying anything, I’m sure other people would love to ask you those questions you always get.”

“I want to buy a quarter of your stock of apples,” the blond chirped with a smug smile on his face that Revali wanted to throw a basket full of apples at.

“Fine.”

Revali counted out the apples, confirmed the Hylian’s request, and was able to finish the purchase without any extra hassle as he wanted to quickly send him on his way, wherever the blond was going.

“By the way, I’m Link.”

The Rito couldn’t quite place a feather on it, but he liked the sincere smile Link had. Maybe it was because he found Link interesting, he was someone who finally didn’t take everything he said as such a personal attack and even played into it. Maybe it was because he had been dealing with annoying customers all day and was already pretty tired and _goddesses it’s only the first day._

“I'm Revali.”

“Alright, well… I’ll see you around, Revali. I can hear everyone’s impatience behind me.”

As Link made his way to the other merchants and people started to quickly as a million questions about things that were obvious, Revali concluded that it was because he was fed up that he enjoyed talking to Link. He wasn’t the type to make friends, and he wasn’t about to start.

Although he would hold Link to his word and _maybe even kind of sorta_ hope that he did stop by again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope that was... bearable (birdable) because this is my first "official" fic since i refuse to let the vocaloid fanfic i wrote when i was 12 count. it was short i know but the others will be longer, but let me know what you think!! :-)


	2. Gloves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im gonna try and have like.. a chapter out every 2-3 days bc exams are coming up and i dont want to leave anybody who is reading along hanging D:

Revali wasn’t a big fan of waking up early in the morning, but he did appreciate the serenity of the rising sun and soft wind. Being both a Rito and someone who enjoys solitude, the presence of clear skies and beautiful scenery made up for the fact he had to work so damn early. As he continued to set up his space by organizing the crates and various foodstuffs, all feelings of peace and quiet were dissipated when a voice from behind him asked: 

“Um… Do you still have some apples?”

Revali set the crate full of durians down and turned around, only to see the peculiar Hylian from yesterday standing there again. 

“Of course I do, I’m the most well-stocked grocer here,” the Rito replied, taking a step forward to get a closer look at him. He appeared to be wearing a regular shirt and what looked like climbing pants: two pieces of clothing not from the same set they were meant to be worn with. 

“What do you need so many apples for? I sold you twenty yesterday.” 

Link immediately perked up, “For my horsie, and myself, I suppose. But she’s my priority.” 

Revali wondered if Link lived alone. It’s not that he was undermining what Link could or could not do, but it still must be difficult to be unable to know exactly what your surroundings are, or even what clothes you’re wearing.

“Well if that’s the case, why not just pick them? There’s a forest just outside of the village.” The Rito wondered if he should even be saying something that would be driving away a customer. 

Link’s small smile grew into a smug one that made Revali twitch with annoyance. 

“I guess so. But I have some rupees and I don’t really use them for anything, so… Unless you want me to buy from someone else? I thought you said you were the best!”

Before Revali even got a word out with his remark stating that  _ obviously, _ he  _ is _ the best and he just gave Link some advice that he was taking for granted, the Hylian let out a quiet sigh.

“I’m not going to avoid the truth for the sake of my ego,  _ unlike a certain someone I know would _ ,” Link said under his breath, “So I’ll just say it: I do want to get to know you better. I always try to befriend the merchants here but none of them really get me or care about me.”

“And what makes you think I care about you?” Revali scoffed.

“You gave me advice about the apples.”

So he  _ had _ noticed.

“Could I hang out here for a while? I can help out a bit, and I’ve always wondered what it would be like to run a shop.” 

The Rito wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Sure he was a little excited that the Hylian took such a liking to him, but most people admired him for his talents anyways. But having company that isn’t completely dim-witted like every customer he encountered would be nice, too. 

“Fine. But consider any help volunteer work, I’m not looking to hire anyone.” Revali really hoped he wouldn’t regret this.

“I wouldn’t have accepted the job anyway,” Link countered as he felt alongside the edge of the table to figure out where he was going. “Could you help me get behind the counter? I wouldn’t want to step on any of your precious produce.” 

Revali reached out with his wingtips and took Link by his outstretched hands, being careful to not make him accidentally trip over anything.  _ If Link did, in fact, live alone, he would've had to memorize the entire layout of this village, _ Revali mused. _ That's rather impressive _ . As he held Link, albeit, for only a few moments, he could feel Link gently rubbing his feathers between his fingertips, taking in as much of every bit of information about Revali's person as he could. When he got Link a crate to sit on and told him about which items were located and what to watch out for, the Hylian reached out for his wingtip again.

"How come you're wearing gloves? It's not even winter, and also they feel really quite… strange."

"I am not wearing gloves! They are my wings." Before Revali would continue to scold him further, he realized that maybe Link had never touched a feather in his life, if his small gasp was anything to go by. He subconsciously made his tone a bit softer. "They are what Rito have instead of the small hands that you Hylians do."

"Really? I've never heard of the Rito before! Does this mean you can fly? Do you look like birds? Do you have a beak? Do-" 

The Rito grabbed the Hylian's hands that were getting a little too grabby and decided that if Link was going to stick around, he would have to be a lot less disruptive. Or at least learn to multitask.

"One question at a time, please! And _ stop _ pulling on my feathers! You wouldn't like it if I pulled your hair, would you?"

Revali devised a plan that for every successful sale they made, Link got to ask whatever invading Rito question he had. Revali only allowed it because he would rather not let another Rito have to sit through so many personal and socially inappropriate questions.  _ The other races will have to fight amongst themselves, _ he thought to himself.

As the day went by, and the breeze got softer, the sun tucking in behind the horizon, Revali found that Link seemed to go against what most thought of Hylians. They were rumored to be selfish, opportunistic, and suck-ups whenever it was towards their own benefit. But Revali was witness to Link's soft voice whenever he humored children, his reassurance that they would be able to make a profit, and how he connected well with the townsfolk. The Rito wasn't one to be too concerned with what others thought of him, but he hoped they would be kind to Link. He hoped they wouldn't underestimate what he could do or his intelligence, or his witty and annoying comments. 

As the pair finished cleaning up and taking count to be able to accordingly restock the next day, Revali found that he felt a little disappointed that the day was over. Even though they had spent the day together, he still hadn't learned too much about Link and was also quite confused as to why he even wanted to press for more details.

"Well, you did an alright job as a volunteer I suppose," he proclaimed, "But you should really work on your persuasion."

Link snickered, and Revali was puzzled as to why Link always had to put his hand over his mouth whenever he laughed as if he was hiding it. 

"Are you suggesting I get more volunteer hours in?" 

"I am suggesting you don't falsely claim there are worms inside the apples!"

He laughed harder, and Revali couldn't help but join in. After they both calmed a bit, he asked what he had really been wondering about all day. 

"Link, do you live on your own? I'm not doubting your ability to live without assistance, but I would imagine there are several things that prove to be difficult in daily life." 

The Hylian paused for a moment before responding, "Yeah, I do live alone. I guess some stuff is harder but I just tailor it to my needs. I live in that house behind the hill, the one that's farthest away from everyone. It's a little silly, but I always wondered if they gave me that one on purpose. When I first arrived they were a little scared, like if it was a contagious disease or something." 

Link shifted, feeling a bit tense with his words causing a change in the air. Revali was just angry that Link was probably right.

"That's their loss, then."

Revali didn't actually mean to say that out loud and was about to take it back if he hadn't caught the shy smile and soft blush that painted Link's face. The Hylian put his hands behind his back and walked toward the path that led him home.

He turned around and gave Revali a toothy grin. 

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, boss!" 

The Rito wanted to act like he was regretting this because Link was a nuisance and a distraction, but really he was regretting it because what he suspected to be true had, unfortunately, become too obvious to deny now.

"See you tomorrow."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic idea was inspired by [this post](https://whyarebirdshot.tumblr.com/post/176616126740/nervously-sweats-bc-revalink) although we do not have the same au, i just got the blind link idea from them. for example, i think their au has link in an accident causing blindness, but if it wasnt very clear in this au he was just born this way!!! also i like how squishy link looks. . . i picture smug link to look like the smug knife cat c:
> 
> also, do i have too much dialogue? pls let me know. i appreciate ur comments and all feedback!!


	3. Standards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote again and updated in less than 24 hours because... writing is fun. im also noticing a few inconsistencies with my punctuation D: i do apologize, english isnt my first language and im still a little puzzled with quotation marks and such (even though ive been studying it for quite some time now)

With every day bringing in more customers and trade, Revali found himself being less guarded around Link. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because he knew that Link wasn’t the type to spread gossip as all of his siblings and neighbors did back in Rito Village.  _ Or, _ Revali hesitantly thought,  _ maybe it’s because he’s the most open person I’ve ever met.  _ For Revali, someone who always ends up arguing with people and getting on their bad side, having someone like Link that understood his sardonic attitude and humor was a breath of fresh air. It was welcoming, and he felt like he didn’t have to rely so heavily on sharp words to avoid humiliation. 

Link was finishing up a sale with a little girl who had been sent to purchase some fresh fruit, and the Rito couldn’t help but notice all the loose hair strands and small knots forming in the other’s hair. While he did at least acknowledge that Link put in  _ some  _ effort by putting his golden hair in a ponytail, it was nowhere  _ near  _ the elegance a Rito was accustomed to. 

When the line died down and the pair found themselves left alone, Revali decided to voice his concern.

“Link, do you  _ own  _ a hairbrush?”

The Hylian broke into a fit of giggles over the blunt question.

“Is it really that bad?” he asked through a smile that Revali couldn’t help but return.

“By Hylian standards probably not. As a Rito, keeping up with your physical appearance is rather important.  _ Especially  _ with one’s hair,” he explained.

That caught Link’s attention.

“Really? How come? I didn’t realize you guys had hair, I thought it was just feathers.” 

“Yes, we do. We keep them in neat and intricate braids. I offer you my help in maintaining a presentable hairdo, not only because I have to be seen with you regularly, but also because it’s a charitable act. I am, as you may have guessed, the most well-kept Rito and hold the best braiding technique”

“I’m also guessing there must not be a lot of Rito either,” Link joked, “but I  _ reluctantly  _ accept your offer.”

“Good. We can do it in my home after we finish up today,” Revali replied.

As he finished his sentence, a father and his small son approached their table, the father motioning to the colorful array of fruits and vegetables.  Link leaned over towards Revali and motioned for him to come closer.

“It’s a date then,” he murmured quietly with a smirk before standing up to attend to the customers. 

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he called out, but Link wasn’t paying attention anyway. 

◥✥◤

The first hues of the sunset signaled that it was closing time. All the merchants began packing up their goods, counting up sales, and discussing plans for the next day. While Link counted the rupees up by feeling the different indentations based on the value of each one (a skill that Revali was amazed by), the Rito took a quick inventory check and took notes accordingly.

“So,” Link began, “are Rito homes superior to a Hylian’s?”

“Absolutely,” he affirmed, “they've not been filled with a bunch of tacky knick-knacks or those uncomfortable contraptions with springs you call a  _ bed.” _

“You don’t have a bed? Then what do you sleep in?”

“A hammock, it is best suited for the Rito because of our wings, but I’m sure every other race would find it just as comfortable,” Revali affirmed.  _ Well, maybe not the Zora for prolonged periods of time.  _

“You should let me try it out sometime,” Link suggested with a daring look on his face.

“Right, well… Anyways, uh, if you could help me carry some of this stuff back, once we’re done I can fix your hair,” Revali managed to sputter out. 

The Hylian nodded and held his arms out to be handed some crates and other items. Once they finished putting the items away, Revali sat down unceremoniously in a nearby chair. He called Link over and helped him take a seat in the chair next to him. 

The Rito took out a small wooden box, with intricate traditional Rito designs etched onto all the sides. He reached for the new comb he got for Link (his previous one had clearly never been cleaned of all the hairs stuck to it) and some hairbands and clips. With precision and care, Revali was able to brush out all the knots and braid Link’s silky hair, taking no more than roughly half an hour to create a half-up-half-down hairdo, with a braid resembling a crown wrapping itself around his hair to keep it all in place. 

“I love your feathers... they are really soft,” Link softly mumbled.  _ He’s falling asleep? At a time like this? _ Revali could feel his face heat up, clearing his throat in an attempt to regain his composure. 

“I know. Also, I’m done. Don’t take them out for a few days and you’ll have neatened hair. Just remember to brush the parts that aren’t braided, of course,” he emphasized.

“Can I still shower?”

That earned Link an almost offended scoff.

“Of course you can! Just don’t be so rough with the braids. If you manage to mess it up somehow, I’ll fix whatever strands you’ve managed to pull out.”

Link hummed in response. He got up and stretched his arms, and turned around to thank the Rito, who had to stop himself from asking Link to stay longer. 

“Really,” Link added, “this means a lot. My hair situation is one of those ‘tailor to my needs’ thing, which means I didn’t really bother with it because it’s not like I could see myself anyways.”

“You’re welcome. I’m just glad I had a chance to demonstrate my exceptional skills to the villagers in Hateno. Not like they could see beauty if it moved in next door.” 

He mumbled that last part as much as he could. Link shuffled his feet a bit, looking like he wanted to say something but was too shy to. Perhaps even afraid.

Link walked a little too quickly towards Revali, making him miss that he was actually being pulled into a hug. He slowly wrapped a wing around the Hylian’s form and only pulled away once Link started to. 

“I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow,” Link mustered the goodbye through his peach stained face and a small smile.

“Right, yeah,” was all Revali could say to Link as he made his way to the door and walked home.

The Rito hadn’t noticed his feathers had been rustled and neatened them back into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope this one was fun!! we are steadily swimming into fluff territory... <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡  
> also thank you for the feedback! it really does help me out a lot. and sorry this one was short, too.  
> i hope my characterization is okay so far.  
> <コ:彡


	4. Sunsets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY I DISAPPEARED. i dropped out then got my ged in 3 weeks lol. hope u like this chapter!!

The nice thing about running your own business is getting to decide which days you have off. At first, this meant that Revali took the day off whenever it was too rainy to go outside, or so beautiful he  _ had  _ to close early to enjoy a short flight at the beach, admiring the quiet solitude that the infinite blue skies offered. 

But being alone on his days off wasn’t really an option with Link around. Instead of relying on the weather to decide his schedule, it was Link who would start out the day by suggesting that they do something new and exciting instead of having to listen to customers all day. Never one to shy away from entertainment over responsibility, Revali would always say yes.  _ Are you also the biggest hedonist of Rito Village?  _ Link would tease. 

It was on a particularly windy day with clear skies that inspired Link to inquire what the sensation of flying was like. Revali insisted it couldn’t be explained, only experienced. Both having the same thought at once, they quickly began putting things away and thinking of safe places to fly over. _What about over the beach?_ _No, going over the woods just outside of town is safer. If you wriggle off somehow, the trees will break your fall._

◥✥◤

The pair managed to find a cliff that overlooked Ginner Woods, the perfect area for a carefree flight. As they finished going over general cautionary rules and how to minimize messing up Revali’s feathers, the Hylian tensed once the idea of flying turned into a reality.  

“So… I just climb on?” Link asked tentatively. 

Revali let out an impatient sigh.  _ Was this really such a strange concept for Hylians? Although, Hylians don’t really have the ability to fly in the first place….  _

"Yes! Now get on and- hey! That’s not- do you need help?”

It wasn’t so much an offer of help for Link but it  _ was _ Revali trying his best to interfere with the alarming amount of feathers he’s already lost today. 

“No, I’m good now. It’s just funny, this feels like a piggyback ride,” Link managed through a titter, resting his chin on Revali’s shoulder. He was merciful enough to not mention how he felt Revali stiffen but still took a mental note of it. 

“Whatever. Ready to go? Just remember that it’s hard to hear each other because of the wind, so if anything happens make sure to wave your hand in front of my face or something. Also, remember that thing I said abou- hey! Stop moving around so much!”

“I know, I know! We’ve already gone through this,” Link complained as he dug his face in Revali’s shoulder as protest, “Can we go now?”

The Rito obliged, but only after giving a scoff in response. Crouching down a bit and spreading far his wings, Revali double-checked that Link was securely wrapped around him. With a strong push from his legs, they were sent upwards into the bright sky with clouds that mimicked the strokes of an oil painting. Revali never tired of the initial rush that came with taking flight. 

Despite the Rito's description of how strong the wind would be, it still caught Link off-guard. The initial push pressed against his ribs, and he could already feel the bruises forming. Even with shortness of breath and his arms already being tired, the almost painful wind against his reddened cheeks provided more excitement than he had ever felt. He could practically feel how fast Revali’s heart was beating, too. 

Link was just able to let out a laugh strong enough for Revali to hear, causing him to glance over and catch the brightest smile he’s ever seen on Link’s face. He hated how warm it felt, how it made him forget about everything around him, made him think of ways to make sure the smile never fades.

They flew in circles and swoops and patterns and every which direction that made Link laugh and smile again, the breath of the wild eliciting an unspoken yearning they mutually understood. 

◥✥◤

Although the trip was a product of spontaneity, Revali took quite some time working through a plan and it had quickly turned into a lazy afternoon. It was around the twenty-minute mark of flying that the meticulous Rito began to complain about the strain on his wings and the Hylian about his sore arms and upper body. As Revali returned to the cliff they disembarked from, a half-asleep Link found himself rendered useless; his legs felt like jelly and his arms weighed a ton. They were almost there, but the Hylian’s grip loosened and Revali’s flying became too sloppy and he found himself snapping out of the lull of exhaustion as he felt Link slipping away. 

Quickly, Link managed to pull himself up as the other flew faster towards land, only to be yanked and wrapped around by a pair of wings as Revali braced them for a crash. 

The Hylian felt the impact, but not as hard as Revali did. In fact, he could swear he broke something. _ Or, like, at least a fracture.  _

Before he could voice his pain, he felt the person wrapped by his wings snort and laugh. The sound cheered Revali almost enough to completely ignore the pain. Almost. 

Moving his wings away to reveal Link, he was able to closely examine the aftermath of the fall. The rosy tint that had painted across Link's face, his messy honey-colored blond hair, it all compiled together and flustered the Rito. In an attempt to recollect himself, Link pushed himself up, only to stumble back down and sit next to Revali. 

"That was... very fun," Link managed through slightly pained breaths. 

"I'm sure it was for you, what with the comfortable crash and all,” Revali sneered. 

The Hylian let out a snicker (which was subsequently followed by soft, pained laughs as a coping mechanism) and gave the Rito a gentle punch on his side, receiving a gentle hum in return. Link thought of that as a subtle invitation to rest his head on the other's shoulder.

"Is there a pretty sunset tonight?" Link murmured, as he felt a wingtip gently touch his side.

Revali found himself wanting to doze off in a hammock, somewhere full of warmth and familiarity. With Link there, of course.

"There's always a pretty sunset."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments? concerns? complaints? :D


	5. Inevitable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's definitely gonna be more than 6 chapters but idk how many... maybe 10? or a little less, like 8. i just love this setting a lot so it might just have an "ending" but still update whenever i feel like it. also i might write another idea i have soon... so look out for that c:

The Rito pride themselves in having a culture based around independence, and despite working together as a village to support one another, their strengths and ideals are ultimately about finding oneself. 

Revali, a Rito many of the elders considered to be a little  _ too _ prideful, was especially content with his independence thus far, and how well he has managed to run his market so far. Much to his disbelief, instead of finding  _ himself  _ he found his thoughts and concerns had focused on only one person:

“Link! Really, you forgot about the milk boiling in the pot? Imagine what could’ve happened had  _ I  _ not noticed,” Revali exclaimed.

“It would’ve boiled over and burnt a little and I would’ve smelled it and remembered. Not too bad, really,” Link calmly replied as he pulled out a cutting board. 

Over the past few weeks, Revali had only been able to learn very little about Link’s self-management and how he interprets the world. It wasn’t until they regularly began doing things together outside of work that he learned more about Link. How he had his home arranged to be easily accessible (he found it funny that Link was too short to reach the top shelves so everything was only allowed to be stored on the bottom shelf or the counter), and how he was able to learn to do anything he wanted all by himself. 

“Here, would you like for me to cut the vegetables instead?” 

“No, I’m okay. Plus, do your wings even count as hands? I don’t know how well  _ you _ could handle cutting vegetables with your wingtips,” Link teased.

Revali let out a huff. 

Link knew. He knew more than Revali thought he knew. He knew that the Rito’s overprotective concern came from a place deep in his heart that Revali would always be too proud (or rather too shy, Link easily figured out) to admit. If it were anyone else, he would’ve rightly gotten offended and would have started an argument he had already won.   _ If _ it were anyone else. But it wasn’t, it was Revali, someone Link knew he loved and that loved him in return.

“Here, I’ll set the stew next to you. I’m going to start adding the rest of the ingredients in,” Revali explained, taking Link out of deep thought. 

A beautiful day in the market had quickly turned into the pouring rain, and so the pair decided to seek refuge in Revali’s home. It was then that Link suggested making a meal as the passing storm showed no signs of letting up.

“You know,” Link began, “if the storm doesn’t go away I might… have to stay here for the night.”

“What? Your house isn’t even that f-”

“You wouldn’t kick me, your favorite sightless person, out into the heavy rain at night, would you?” 

“No,” Revali forced out a sigh, “I suppose I wouldn’t. Hey, are you done yet? I already finished setting up the table.”

Link, silver-tongued as he was, didn’t need charisma to impress with his cooking. The food always spoke for itself. 

“You can’t rush perfection, Revali.”

◥✥◤

Revali found that the blond Hylian’s food was the most delicious he had ever tasted. As they finished up their meal and the Rito put to practice all his hosting skills by cleaning up, he saw Link flinch.

“Link? Are you alright?” Revali asked, wondering what could have happened. 

“Yeah, it’s just… did you hear the thunder?”

The Rito stilled and listened attentively. As another violent wave of thunder passed, he noticed Link resting his head on the table. Not only was it impolite, but it also worried Revali. Completely forgetting about the dishes he had been washing, he dried his feathers and made his way towards Link.

“Link are… are you scared of thunder?”

He heard a muffled complaint.

“Yes. Don’t be mean! It just freaks me out because I don’t really know what it  _ is _ ,” the Hylian exclaimed into the table.

In an attempt to reassure the Hylian, Revali placed a wing lightly on his shoulder. 

“That’s understandable, quite a few people share that fear,” the Rito comforted. 

He hesitated a bit before adding, “if you want we could start, uh, getting ready for bed. Unfortunately, I don’t have any extra sleeping bags or anything, so we’re going to have to share the hammock.” 

Link shifted his head so Revali could see him smirk.

“That _ is _ pretty unfortunate.” 

The Rito was quite relieved Link couldn’t see him in this state, or else he would have to come up with some excuse for how ruffled his feathers were.

“Let’s go, before it gets late. We still have to go to work tomorrow, you know,” the Rito said as he helped Link navigate his way around his home. 

It wasn’t until they had actually gotten into the hammock that Revali noticed that the Hylian really was very frightened by the clashing sounds of thunder. When he had handed him a few blankets he saw his hands shake, but once he had Link laying so close he could feel him shaking like a leaf. 

The Hylian dug his face into his chest and put his arms around Revali. This, coupled with the blankets, was a bit too warm for what temperature the Rito were used to sleeping in. But Revali didn’t mind at all, especially not when he could feel Link’s soft hair against his face, and how nice it felt to wrap his wings around him. Link, both in contrast and similarity, liked how safe he felt with Revali, being held so tightly. 

“Oh, I… you know, I never thanked you for letting me cook with your food and spend the night,” Link softly murmured, as if trying not to disturb the warm comfort of it all. 

“Don’t worry about it,” the Rito responded, “I like having you around.”

Link often wondered how Revali was always able to subtly tell him he loved him. 

Lifting his head a bit, Link pressed his face gently against the other’s, placing a gentle kiss on his beak. 

“I like having you around, too.” 

Revali always wondered how Link was able to raise his heartbeat so easily. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love when link has a furry bf..  
> ( also my bad for always posting really short chapters )  
> and thank you so much for the kudos and comments!! it really helps as motivation :D


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